Knitting machine



y 1940. R. H. LAWSON El AL 2,203,698

KNITTING MACHINE Filed June 29, 1936 4 Shee'ts-Sheet 1 [III lllllli 52 F1 4. i 33 A C v 32 m 35 9 LL lllllllH r9 2, 63 111mm Hill! 23, R, LAwsQN ET AL 2,208,698

KNITTING MACHINE Filed June 29, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 W WW W y 3, 194G. R. H. LAWSON El! AL 2,203,698

KNITTING MACHINE Filed June 29, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 "m fiwzA rmz Eaazmllmmg J ZHVMCZJWEQ [121026 62552 m 23, we.

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 mHm/I/aawmg Patented July 23, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,208,698 KNITTING momma Application June 29, 1936, Serial No. 87,920

8 Claims.

This invention relates to knitting machines and attachments therefor, being particularly directed to mechanisms for effecting the incorporation of rubber or other strands in spaced courses and at spaced wales in the said courses.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in elevation of so much only of a knitting machine as is necessary to show the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary front view, partly in section, of the cam drum shown in Fig. 1 and links in engagement with cams on the drum;

Fig. 3 is a plan view, partly in section, showing the means employed for acting upon the knitting instrumentalities to effect a desired selection thereof;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view showing the socalled 104 gear. and connections leading therefrom for actuating pawl mechanism shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view, partly in section, showing the patterning mechanism for effecting jack selection which jacks in turn select their needles;

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of the cam drum showing one row of cams for effecting certain movements of a pattern drum;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 but showing another row only of cams on the said pattern.

Fig. 8 is a developed view of the cams shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a similar view of the cams shown in Fig. '7; and Fig. 10 is a fragmentary view showing the means for feeding an elastic strand or thread to the needles.

The machine frame is indicated generally by the numeral i and includes a so-called circular base 2 within which is, preferably supported for 40 rotary movements, a needle cylinder 3, and a cam ring 4, the usual cams on said cam ring for controlling the movements of the needles not being shown. The main pattern drum 5 is shown as mounted upon a shaft 6 supported in a bracket, such as l, in turn connected to the machine frame. At 8 is shown a patterning drum having a series of circular rows of cams, in the form of discs, the several rows of cams acting upon the knitting instrumentalities in a manner hereinafter to be more specifically described.

In Fig. 10 the needles are there shown as moving past the mouthpiece M in the latch ring R, the movements of the needles being from the right to the left in the said figure. An elastic strand or thread Y is shown as passing through a yarn lever L to be engaged in the hooks of the alternate elevated needles to effect the knitting of the first courses of the stocking following which, as will hereinafter be described, every fourth needle only is elevated to engage the clastic yarn in conjunction with the main yarn. At the completion of the knitting of the elastic garter courses, the needles are otherwise selected as by the plungers 33, said plungers being selectively controlled by cams 32. The selection of the needles by the cams 32- and plungers 33, effects a selective raising of certain of the needles to cause them to be wrapped with an additional yarn or thread or to permit other ornamental fabric to be knitted.

Fast to the circular base 2 is a bracket 9 which extends right angularly in a downward direction and then again at right angles in a horizontal direction, as shown in Fig. 1. Pivotally connected to the bracket 9 as by means of a screw i0 is a lever I l intermediate the ends of which is mounted the pattern drum 8 by means of a shaft l2 which is fast to the drum and passes loosely through a hole in the lever II and then through a hub l3 forming part of the bracket 9. The drum 8 is so acted upon as to be maintained in a retracted position where it does not affect the knitting of any of the knitting instrumentalities, in a semi-retracted position where it acts upon some of the knitting instrumentalities as to effect the incorporation of rubber in the garter tops of stockings, and in its advanced position where the said pattern drum may act upon all of the jacks and therefore on the needles or other knitting instrumentalities. The means for moving and maintaining the pattern drum 8 in its three set positions will be described hereinafter. Furthermore, the lever l l and consequently the pattern drum 8 may be adjusted with respect to the needle cylinder when in its inner position as by means of a set screw it which passes through the lever II and into contact with a pin or screw I5 which passes through an elongated slot IS in the lever II and into threaded engagement with the bracket 9. A spring I! which is connected at one end to a pin l8 fast to the lever II and at its other end to a pin l9 which projects laterally from bracket 9, yieldingly holds lever II and consequently the pattern drum 8 in their innermost positions determined by contact of screw M with pin l5.

To effect movement of the pattern drum 8 to and from its three positions, and to effect a desired vertical movement of the drum for a purpose hereinafter to be described, advantage is taken of cams located on the cam drum 5. Depending from the bracket 9 is an integral portion 20 in which is freely mounted a pin 2| made fast to which, as by means of screw 22, is a bell crank lever 23, one arm 24 of which engages the free and recessed end of lever II to move and maintain the said lever II in any one of its three positions. The headed end of a screw 25 which passes through the upper end of the arm 24 makes actual contact with the lever H and the screw 25 is maintained in adjusted position by means of alocking screw 26. At the free end of the other arm of the bell crank lever 23 is pivotally connected at 21 a depending link 28, the lower end of which passes through a slotted bracket 29, the toe 30 of said link being maintained in contact with the surface of the drum 5 or with cams in a circular row 3| on the drum 5.

When the link 28 is off the cams, it is maintained in contact with the surface of the drum 5 by means of the spring ll at which time the lever H and pattern drum 8 are in their innermost positions. At such time selective cams 32, forming part of a series of discs similar to and functioning in the manner of the discs 32 in Lawson Patent #2,052,77'7, September 1, 1936. The cams or discs 32 which constitute the effective portion of the pattern drum 8, are in position to engage their respective plungers 33 (six being shown) and thereby selectively afiect the movements of the needles (not shown) through their companion jacks such as 34. When the toe of the link 28 is in engagement with a high cam of cam row 3| the pattern drum 8 is moved to a fully retracted position, as during the knitting of heels and toes, where the selective cams 32 do not act upon any of the plungers 33. When the toe of the link 28 is in engagement with an intermediate cam of cam row 3|, the drum 8 is maintained in an intermediate position at which time the selective cams 32 do not act upon their plungers 33, the lowermost discs 35 and 36 are in position to affect the knitting by reason of their engagement with the two lowermost plungers 33, this being due to the fact that the cams constituting the peripheries of the cams 35 and 36, extend, in a radial direction, beyond the outer portions of the cams 32.

Connected to bracket 29 by screws 31 and extending upwardly therefrom is a supplemental bracket 38 to the upper end of which is pivoted at 39, a lever 46 of adjustably connected parts and passing through the outer end of the part 4| of which is a screw or bolt 42, the screw or bolt being locked in adjusted position in the portion 4| by means of a nut 43. The upper portion of bolt 42 is headed as at 44 for engagement with the lower portion of the shaft l2 for a purpose presently to be described. Intermediate the ends of the lever 46 is pivotally connected, by means of a slot and pin connection, a depending link 45, said link 45 passing through the slotted bracket 29 and being steadied in its movements by means of an arm 46 fastened to the bracket 29 in a manner to span the slot through which the link 45 passes. Furthermore, an adjustable screw or bolt 41 is in engagement with one edge of the link 45 further to steady the movements of the said link.

On the drum 5 are other cams in a circular row 48 for contact with the toe 49 of the link 45 which when not raised by the cams 48 is in engagement with the surface of the drum 5, such engagement being maintained due to the weight of the pattern drum 8 and connected parts carried by the shaft l2.

It is desirable, as when incorporating an elastic or other strand in the top of a stocking. to obtain a garter effect, to act upon some only of the needles in such a manner as to cause them to knit or otherwise hold the elastic or other strand at certain wales and in some of the courses only. To eifect such needle selection is the purpose of the discs 35, 36 and their companion plungers 33.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 3 and 5, the plungers or cams 33, shown as being eight in number, are vertically disposed with relation to one another and are each independently slidable in U-shaped brackets 56, 5| mounted upon and fast to a plate or bracket 52 in turn fastened to the cam ring 4. To prevent turning of the brackets 50, 5| and consequent binding of the plungers 33, the said brackets 56, 5| are seated in a recess or channel in plate 52. The brackets 50, 5| are shown as being spaced thus providing convenient means to permit projections 53 integral with the plungers 33, to extend outwardly from the brackets. To the projections 53 of each of the plungers 33 is attached one end of a coil spring 54, the other ends of the said springs being connected to an angle bracket 55 attached to the bracket 5| as by means of a screw. The plungers 33 are supported and guided in a radial direction with respect to the needle cylinder by shims 56 in the brackets 50, 5|, and further their outwardly extending ends pass through slots (not shown) in the turned end of a plate 51, said plate being made fast to the bracket 5|. The plungers 33 are notched at their outer ends as shown at 58 the resultant shoulders serving as stop means in conjunction with the turned ends of the plate 51 thus limiting the outward movement of the said plungers when the drum 8 is moved to its outer position.

The disc or ring 35, as shown in Fig. 3, consists of alternating projections 59 and recesses 60, the projections 59 also being recessed as at 6|. The drum 9 and consequently the disc 35 are rotated in the direction of the arrow in a manner presently to be described The springs 54 maintain the toes of the plungers 33 in engagement with the projections 59 or in the recesses 66 and 6| as the case may be. Rotation of the disc 35 in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 3, causes a projection 59 to engage the beveled end 62 of a plunger 33 and consequently move the same radially in the direction of the needle cylinder and against the tension of the spring 54.

As hereinbefore stated, the drum 8 is periodically racked or rotated in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 3, and to eifect this movement any convenient pawl or other racking mechanism may be employed. As shown, the lower portion of the drum includes ratchet teeth 63, which are periodically engaged by pawl mechanism indicated generally by the numeral 64. As the pawling mechanism, specifically, forms no necessary part of the present invention, details of the construction of the said mechanism are omitted from the drawings as well as a description thereof. A pawl bracket 65 has pivotally connected thereto at 66, a link 61, said link in turn being connected to a bell crank lever 68 at 69, said bell crank lever being pivoted to the machine frame at 10. The other arm of the bell crank lever is pivotally connected at 'II to a link 12 which is adjustably connected (Fig. 4) by screws 13 to still another link 14 which is in turn pivotally connected at I! to a lever I3. The lever I3 is pivoted to the machine frame at 11 and intermediate its ends has connected thereto a cam I9. At I9 is a so-called "104" gear which rotates in the direction of the arrow, one complete rotation of the said gear 104 occurring every four courses of knitting. Carried by the 104" gear and extending from one face thereof is a screw or pin 30 as well. as a cam 3|, the latter being adjustably connected to the gear "104" by means of the pin and slot connection 02.

Referring again to Fig. 4, rotation of the 104" gear in the direction of the arrow first causes the pin or row 90 to engage the cam I3 .and rock the lever IS, the rocking ofthe'said lever 16 through the connections hereinbefore described being opposed by a spring 93 connected to the lever It at one end and to the machine frame at its other end. The effect of the movement of the cam 19 is to cause the pawl bracket 05 to move in a counter-clockwise direction and consequently move the drum in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 3. To prevent any possibility of over-movement, a damping brake is provided. This brake takes the form of a bracket 34 which is made fast to the upper portion of the shaft I2 as by means of a screw 95. An arm of the bracket is provided with a vertically disposedhole within which are mounted screw 99, spring 91, and pin 00. The screw 96 serves adjustably to position the convolutions of the springs 31 which thereby exert a variable pressure upon the pin 90, which latter engages the upper surface of the cap plate 99 of the drum 8.

For a purpose not essential to the present invention, the movements imparted to the pawl bracket 65 by the cam 18 may be varied by means of a stop or detent 90 which may be moved into the path of the upper portion of the link I8 which carries the cam I8. For this purpose, the stop 90 may be connected to a series of levers and links which are automatically controlled to move the stop into engagement with the lever I6.

Shown in Fig. 5 is mechanism for effecting the knitting of a plain (non-patterned) sole of a stocking or portion of another fabric while at the same time the instep or remaining portion of the fabric is being patterned by means of selective control of knitting instrumentalities or of elements in association therewith.

During the knitting as of legsof stockings, it is desirable to knit pattern effects at any wale of the fabric, but during the knitting as of the soles of stockings, it is desirable to omit the patterning in the sole portions of the stockings while at the same time continuing the pattern on the instep side of the stocking. To accomplish this purpose is the object of the plungers '33, butts such as 9|, cam 92 and connections acting upon the said cam.

During the knitting as of the leg of the stocking, the selective butts (not shown), similar to and above the saw tooth butt 93, are selectively acted upon by selective arrangement of the said saw tooth butts on the jacks 34 and selective control of the plungers 33 pertaining to the said butts. During knitting, the jacks 34 are elevated a preparatory distance by selective engagement of plungers or cams 33 with their companion butts similar to butt 93 which preparatory movement is just sufiicient to elevate the selected jacks to such a position that a fixed cam (not shown) may engage the butts 94 which are on all of the said jacks. Now during the knitting as of the double sole of a stocking it is desirable to nullify the effect of the jacks 34 pertaining to the short butt needles. 1. e., the sole needles; consequently, the Jacks 34 located underneath the short butt needles alone are provided with the butts 9I and preparatory to the knitting of the double sole, the cam 92 is advanced to the position shown in Fig. 5 so that immediately after selection of the jacks by the selective plungers 33 and before the needles companion to the said selective jacks are elevated to take the wrap stripe or other patterning thread, the cam 92 engages the upper portion of the butts 9I and retracts the jacks thus nullifying the selective raising of the said jacks by the plungers or cams 33. During the same courses of knitting, the selected jacks companion to the instep needles are not retracted but upon continued rotation, as of the needle cylinder, are further elevated by the fixed cam (not shown) which engages the butts 94. As a consequence of the method of knitting just described, the pattern may be continued on onehalf or portion of a stocking or other fabric and discontinued in the other portion or half of fabric in the same courses of knitting.

A spring 95 which is connected at one end to a pin 90 carried by a bracket 5| and at its other end to a screw 91 carried by a short extension 99 of cam 92, yieldingly maintains the said cam 92 in its innermost position shown in Fig. 5. A screw 99 passes through the extension 98 and into engagement with the bracket 5| thus limiting the inward movement of the cam '92. To retract the cam 92, it is provided with a laterally projecting lug I which is engaged by the toe IOI of a lever I02 pivoted at I03 to plate 51. A depending link I04 pivoted to the other arm of the said lever is automatically actuated in any desired manner to withdraw cam 92 from its position adjacent to the needle cylinder shown in Fig. 5 as at the conclusion of plain sole knitting.

While in the foregoing description for illustrative purposes, reference has been made to particular uses to which the mechanism constituting the invention and parts thereof may be put, there is-no intention of thereby limiting the invention either to the precise details of construction shown or the specified uses. For example, although the drum has been hereinbefore described as being particularly adapted for use in connection with the incorporating of rubber or other elastic strands in garter tops of stockings, the drum and operating means therefor may act upon rubber or other strands for other purposes and may be used selectively to control the knitting of strands or threads other than rubber or its equivalent. Also the portion of the description relating to the cam 92, etc., has been specifically described for illustrative purposes only, as being used in connection with the knitting of double soles of stockings, although the invention may obviously be used in connection with fabrics other than stockings in which it is desirable to pattern any or all of the wales of the fabric for a certain number of courses and then some only of the wales of the fabricfor following courses.

Further, it is not the intention to limit the invention otherwise than as called for by specific recitations in the claims themselves.

Referring to Figs. 6, '7, 8 and 9, a brief description of the operation will now be given. The cam drum 5, as hereinbefore described, is provided with two special rows of cams 3| and 48.

' As hereinbefore stated, the cam row 3| through the connections described, moves the pattern drum 9 in a direction away from the needle cylinder, the return movement being eflected by means of the spring IT. The cam row 43 raises the said pattern drum 3 and permits the same to drop downwardly, the latter movement being effected by the weight of the drum 3.

It will be understood that the following description of operation is a description of a complete cycle of operation, 1. e., to knit a complete stocking or half hose and for convenience the description begins at the top of the stocking or half hose. In Figs. 8 and 9, the respective cams constituting the cam rows 3i and 43 are shown in exact timed relation with one another so that when, for example, the toe 30 is resting on the surface of the cam I05 at the numeral I04, Fig 8, the toe/49 is resting on the cam drum at the place indicated by the numeral I05, Fig. 9. The cam drum 5 is periodically racked or moved to rotate in the direction of the arrows, Figs. 6 and 7, and as a consequence thereof the cycle of operations now to be described will move from the right to the left,

Figs. 8 and 9.

When the respective toes 30, 49 are at the places indicated by the numerals I04, I05, Figs. 8 and 9, the pattern drum 8 is maintained in its extreme outer position, i. e., away from the needle cylinder, by reason of engagement of the bell crank lever 23 with the lever II upon which is mounted the pattern drum 8. When the toe 30 is on a cam I03 at the place indicated by the numeral I04, the toe 49 being on the surface of the cam drum at I05, the pattern drum 9 is in its lowermost position. Now continued rotation of the pattern drum 5 in the direction of the arrows, Figs. 6 and 7, causes the toe 49 to ride up and rest upon the top of the cam I01, the effect of which is to cause the head 44 of the screw 42 to raise the shaft I2 and consequently the pattern drum 3 to its uppermost position such as shown in Fig. l. with the toes 30 and 49 resting on the tops of their respective cams I06 and I01, the so-called single top of the stocking or half hose is or may be knitted. The cams on the disc 33 maintain the lowermost cam 33 in its forward position where it raises such of the jacks 34 as have butts 93 located at the level of the lowermost plunger. Every fourth jack all the way around the needle cylinder may be provided with an appropriately positioned butt 93 to be engaged by the lowermost cam 33 in which case preparatory movements are imparted to every fourth jack 34 which moves or raises them to a position to be further engaged by a fixed cam which, upon continued rotation of the needle cylinder (if the machine be of the rotary needle cylinder type), engages the butts 94 which are on all of the jacks 34. Thus every fourth needle may, if desired, be elevated to take a thread such as an elastic thread in its hook. Likewise thecam disc or ring 35 maintains its cam 33, i. e., the one next to the lowermost cam 33, in a forward position, which last mentioned cam 33 engages and gives a preparatory movement to every fourth jack 34 which jacks are intermediate the selected jacks first mentioned and acted upon by the lowermost cam 33. As a consequence of the action of the two lowermost cams 33 acting upon every fourth needle, in the manner described, every second needle is given a preparatory movement, the fixed cam (not shown) later engaging the selected butts 94 on every other or second jack 34 thus causing every other needle to engage the yarn, as of rubber, in its hook, for one course or more of knitting. Prior to the knitting of the courses just described, advance movement of the drum 5 caused the toe 30 to drop oil the Subsequently to the knitting of the course or courses on every other needle in the manner just' described, the toe 49, when the drum 5 is again advanced, drops ofi the cam I01 and onto the cam I09. This drop is very slight and does not require retraction of the pattern drum 8, being merely for the purpose of causing the cam ring 35 to move to an inoperative position below the lowermost position of the cam 33 and causing the cam ring or disc 35 to then be positioned opposite thesaid lowermost cam 33. During the knitting of a plurality of additional courses, the toe 30 remains on the cam I08 and the toe 49 likewise remains on the cam I09, the eifect of which is to cause the cam ring 35 alternatelyto advance the lowermost cam 33 and permit it to be retracted through the influence of the spring 54in the manner hereinbefore described. Thus when the lowermost cam 33 is in its advanced position adjacent the needle cylinder as for a course of knitting, every fourth needle is elevated through its companion jack 34 in a manner hereinbefore described, and when elevated such selected needles may engage an additional yarn such as rubber in the needle hooks, and by means of the pawl mechanism 64, 65, etc., the lowermost cam 33, can be maintained in a. retracted position for one or more courses, preferably three, so that an elastic yarn or strand may be knitted or otherwise incorporated in a fabric such as a garter top of a stocking or half hose, at every fourth needle in every fourth course of knitting.

Following the knitting of the courses just described, which may be garter top courses, further advance of the cam drum 5 causes the toe 30 to ride up a cam H0 which moves the pattern drum 8 to its extreme outer position away from the needle cylinder. It will be noted that this outward movement of the pattern drum 8 is efiected before the toe 49 drops off the cam I09, this being necessary to permit the pattern drum 8 to drop to its lowermost position, otherwise the cams or projections on the cam rings or discs, such as 32, would or might cause a smash of the projecting cams 32 or plungers 33,

this being especially true if a plunger 33 be which permits the pattern drum 9 to move to an advanced position adjacent to the earns 33. The respective toes 30 and 49 then remain on the surface of the drum 5 during the knitting of tively raised needles by means of so-called wrap stripe or other knitting. In some cases it is desirable that a change in the pattern as in the leg of a stocking. be eilected prior to the knitting of the heel and to eil'ect the change in pattern, the cam H3 elevates the toe 30 which, through the connections hereinbefore described, moves the pattern drum 3 part way out (complete retraction not being necessary due to the fact that the cam rings 35 and 38 are not opposite cam 33 at this point of the knitting cycle) and immediately thereafter the toe 49 is caused to ride up the cam III which permits the pattern drum 8 to drop a. short distance thus presenting other and theretofore inactive cams 32 opposite the upper plungers or cams 33. Immediately after the toe 43 rests on top of the cam Ill, advance of the pattern drum 5 causes the toe 30 to drop oil the cam H3 and onto the surface of the cam drum 5 at N5, the toe 43 then resting on the cam H4 and the toe 30 resting on the surface of the cam drum 5 during the knitting of the second portion of the pattern in the leg.

From the preceding description, it will be evident that when the cams 35 and 35 are operative to efiect the knitting of the selvage and garter top courses any of the plunger cams 32, which may be opposite the plunger cams 33, do not affect the radial positions of the said plunger cam due to the drum being in an intermediate position, i. e., semi-retracted. However, when the drum 8 is lowered to effect the knitting of wrap stripes, the cams 32 are opposite the plunger cams 33 and at that time effect a selective movement of the said plunger cams 33 by reason of the drum 8 being in a position adjacent to the said plunger cams 33. The vertical movements of the drum 8 so as alternately to bring the cams 35, 36 and the cams 32 in functioning relation to the plunger earns 33, permits considerable increase in needle selection, one portion of the drum 8 acting upon the plunger cams 33 during the knitting of the selvage and garter top portions and another portion of the drum 8 acting upon the plunger cams 33 during the knitting of the wrap courses. Although selvage, garter top and wrap courses have been referred to, it is evident'that the construction and control of the drum 8 acting in conjunction with the plunger cams 33 can be availed of to effect needle or other instrumentality selection forvarious purposes.

It is necessary that the patterning be discontinued during the knitting of the heel of a stocking without disturbing the previous pattern arrangement. Consequently, when the pattern drum 8 isfully retracted by the toe 30 riding upon the cam H6, the toe 49 remains upon the cam Ill. Subsequently to the knitting of the heel of the stocking, advance of the cam drum 5 causes the toe 30 to drop all the cam H8 and onto the surface of the drum 5 at H I. During the knitting of the sole and instep of the stocking, it is desirable that the pattern be continued upon the instep but not in the sole. To efiect this result, the cam 82 is provided which, as hereinbefore described, nullifies the selective action of the cams 33 upon the sole needles.

Following the knitting of the sole and instep of the stocking, rotation of the 'cam drum 5 causes the toe 30 to ride up the cam I08 which moves the pattern drum 8 to its extreme outer position away from the needle cylinder after which the toe 49 drops off the cam Ill and onto the surface of the cam drum 5 at I05 which completes the cycle of operations. For illustrative purposes only the operation has been described in connection with the knitting of a stocking or half hose having an elastic strand or thread incorporated in certain portions of the stocking and a pattern thread or threads incorporated in other portions of the stocking or hall. hose;

however, the operation is not necessarily limited to the use of an elastic strand or thread nor to a stocking or half hose, it being the intention to cover as well the knitting of other fabric and not necessarily with the particular threads described.

During the knitting of the first course when the elastic yarn is fed into the hooks of alternate needles and in such manner as to pass back of the subsequently elevated intermediate needles, and during the knitting of the next course when the relatively inelastic yarn is knitted, it is desirable to provide a special lug or cam onthe fashioning bracket to elevate the cam plate slightly. The elevation of the cam plate just described avoids too great a strain being placed upon the number of pattern rows in excess of the number of plungers 33. Thus the axial movement oi! the drum by presenting difierent endless circular rows of cams or pattern indications selectively to act upon the cams or plungers 33, effects a division of cams or pattern indications on the drum to provide two series of rows of such pattern indications so that either one of the two series of pattern indications but not the other may be positioned to selectively control the cams 33 and thereby determine needle selection. Furthermore, when the drum 8 is moved to a position where the rows 32 are in operative engagement with plungers 33, the said rows 32 respectively act simultaneously upon the plungers 33, simultaneously serving to define the possible control of two or more plungers 33 by different and vertically spaced cams 32 during the same courses of knitting.

In the foregoing description, parts and combinations thereof have been described in specific terms and in the drawings one specific embodiment of the invention has been shown; however, there is no intention of thereby limiting the invention to the precise details of construction and steps in the operation disclosed.

We claim:

1. In a knitting machine, means for selectively acting upon the knitting instrumentalities pertaining to all of the wales of a knitted fabric, in

combination with other means for selectively acting upon a portion only of the said instrumentalities so that one portion of the fabric may be patterned and the other knitted plain, such mechanism including knitting instrumentalities and a plurality of cams for imparting preparatory movements to the said instrumentalities, and other means for thereafter further acting upon the selected instrumentalities, a cam movable to and from a position where it nullifies the selective movements imparted to a portion of the said knitinstrumentalities.

2. A knitting machine and patterning mechanism in combination therewith for aflecting the operations of knitting instrumentalities, said patterning mechanism including a plurality of movable cams for acting upon the said instrumentalities and a rotary drum having pattern indications thereon for selective engagement with the aforesaid cams, the drum being movable in such a manner with respect to the cams as to move other pattern indications to a position to act selectively upon the said cams, the movement of the drum for the purpose aforesaid, including a movement of the drum away from the said cams and then again to a position adjacent to the said cams.

3. A knitting machine having needles and means for incorporating strand material by feeding said strand material to certain needles only of the needles which are interspersed among other needles and in following courses feeding to interspersed needles different, in number, from the first mentioned interspersed needles, pattern mechanism for effecting a desired needle selection, said pattern mechanism including a pattern element movable at intervals to present new pattern indications to efiect movements of the needles, said pattern elements being otherwise movable to effect a change in the selection of needles to knit in the manner stated.

4. A knitting machine having in combination knitting instrumentalities and selective means operable on said instrumentalities including a series of butt engaging movable cams, a pattern drmn having a series of butts thereon for actuating said movable cams, pattern controlled means for moving said drum bodily to and from positions to aiiect butt engaging movements of the movable cams to control selectively the movements of the instrumentalities, and cooperating means for moving said drum lengthwise of the series of movable cams to present diilerent series of the butts on the drum for engagement with the movable cams to efiect the knitting of different and spaced patterns.

5. In a knitting machine a pattern drum, means for racking said drum about a pivot, pattern controlled means for periodically moving said drum 1m to and from a position to affect other instruting instrumentalities but not of other. and like 6. A knitting machine having in combination a plurality oi knitting instrumentalities, means for engaging and selecting said knitting instrumentalities including a series or plungers, a pattern drum for enga ing and moving said plungers to impart selecting movements to the instrumentalities and a cam functioning on predetermined ones of the instrumentalities which have been selected to immediately return them to a non-selected position for the p rpose described.

'I. A knitting machine having independent needles, mechanism for controlling the independent selection of needles, said mechanism including a number of superposed cams disposed lengthwise of the needle cylinder and a drum movable circumferentially from time to time to present different pattern indications for selective actuation of the aforesaid cams, the said pattern indications on the drum being arranged in superposed circular endless rows, there being a number of such superposed rows sufllciently in excess of the number of aforesaid superposed cams to provide two series of superposed pattern indi cations on the drum each of which two series of pattern indications may act independently of the Other to determine needle selection, in combination with means for moving the drum to cause either one of two series of pattern indications, but not the other, to be positioned to selectively aontrol the cams and determine needle selec- 8. A knitting machine having independent needles, mechanism for controlling the independent selection of needles, said mechanism including a number of superposed cams disposed lengthwise of the needle cylinder and a pattern mechanism movable from time to time to present diflerent pattern indications for selective actuation of the aforesaid cams, the said pattern indications on the pattern mechanism being arranged in endless rows, there being a number of such rows suiiiciently in excess of the number of aforesaid superposed cams to provide two series of pattern indications on the pattern mechanism each of which two series of pattern indications may act independently of the other to determine needle selection, in combination with means for moving the pattern mechanism to cause either one of two series of pattern indications, but not the other,

to be positioned to selectively control the cams l0 

